Qatar University Engineering Skills & Ethics

College of Engineering Course No. : 501107

Fall Semester 2008 Homework (4)
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1. Write a memo to the Maintenance Department at your company requesting a
certain task. The memo should include all elements discussed in class.

2. Write a personalized CV and a cover letter that indicates your education,

experience, interests, strength and other qualities.

3. Two researchers are working independently on a problem. The first researcher

after spending a long time on experiments, writes a report explaining his results.

However, he had difficulties correlating his results into a simple pattern. The

second researcher discovered that these data can be described by a well known

classical formula. He shared this information with the first researcher informally.

A few months later, the first researcher published a paper explaining all the data

using the formula suggested by the second researcher without acknowledging his

contribution. Should he have done so? Was he right in his position that since it was

only a well-established formula that was suggested, no acknowledgement was

needed?

4. Paul Jackson, a professional structural engineer, was asked to investigate an

existing structure, now supporting two identical condensers, to determine the

advisability of adding a third condenser to the structure. The structure had been

designed two years earlier by a group of engineers under jackson’s supervision.

Jackson did not review the original design, but he was responsible for the group

under his supervision. In checking the design, Jackson discovers that the original

placement of reinforcing steel did not provide adequately for earthquake loading.

The inadequacy although real, is probably not too significant. The structure has
 been in service for two years without incident, but there has not been an

earthquake in that time.

Jackson must choose from three courses:

 Should he say nothing about the inadequacy and simply report that the
structure is not capable of carrying the proposed new load?
 Should he work out a system of reinforcement for the structure that
would both rectify the original inadequacy and provide for support of the
new load in a single package?
 Should he admit to the original error and suggest to the owner that
repairs be made against the possibility of damage if an earthquake should
occur?

5. Stephanie Simon knew Environmental Manager Adam Baines would not be

pleased with her report on the chemical spill. The data clearly indicated that the
spill was large enough that regulations required it to be reported to the state.
Stephanie perceived Adam to be someone who thinks industry is over-regulated,
especially in the environmental area. At the same time, he prided himself as a
major player in maintaining XYZ's public reputation as an environmental
leader in the chemical industry. "We do a terrific job," he often said. "And we
don't need a bunch of hard to read, difficult to interpret, easily misunderstood
state regulations to do it. We got along just fine before the regulators ran wild,
and we're doing fine now." When Stephanie presented her report to Adam, he
lost his temper. "This is ridiculous! We're not going to send anything like this to
the state. A few gallons over the limit isn't worth the time it's going to take to fill
out those damned forms. I can't believe you'd submit a report like this.
Stephanie, go back to your desk and rework those numbers until it comes out
right. I don't want to see any more garbage like this."

What should Stephanie do?